Manchester United have reached the crossroads with Bruno Fernandes. One way is to attract £100 million, while the other could be a brighter future led by the Portuguese midfielder. However, there is no guarantee that Man United will reach the desired destination: return to glory.
At some point in the coming days, the "Red Devils" leadership may have to make an important decision. They must reject any offers for the 30-year-old, or sell immediately and use that money to rebuild the underdogs.
Man United can follow Liverpool and change their fate. The Kop have invested in Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker after earning £145 million from selling Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in 2018.
But things are not always that simple. Tottenham Hotspur also earned £85 million from selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in 2013.
Seven players were signed for the Bale fee, but only one - Christian Eriksen - proved his worth. Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli, Vlad Chiriches, Erik Lamela, Paulinho and Roberto soldado are 6 other signings. And they all come and go without any impact.
Considering Man United's unimpressive performance in the transfer market in recent years, they have not had a single successful contract since buying Fernandes for £47 million in January 2020. Therefore, believing that the club will reinvest in a wise way is completely shaky.
After going through their worst ever Premier League season since being relegated in 1974, Man United are in a weak position. And that is something that Al-Hilal is determined to exploit.
Sources told ESPN that the Riyadh-based club has prepared to spend £100 million to sign Fernandes ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, which takes place in two more weeks.
Fernandes is United's best player. Even in their dreamy season, he still scored 19 goals and had 18 assists. The midfielder almost carried the team to the Europa League final, where they lost to Spurs and missed the opportunity to join the Champions League.
The Portuguese midfielder signed a new contract with Man United in August last year, guaranteeing a future until 2027. Therefore, the "Red Devils" can refuse any offers and confirm that Fernandes is not for sale. But missing out on the Champions League has left a huge financial loophole for Man United, at least £80 million. They were forced into the foot of the wall.
Last week, Ruben Amorim said Man United wanted to raise capital by selling other players, specifically Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony. But even if they can find a club that accepts all three players, the total amount cannot be equal to Al-Hilal's proposal.
Before selling Coutinho, Jurgen Klopp had only been at Liverpool for more than a year and was struggling to revive the team. And like Fernandes at Man United, Coutinho was Liverpool's best and most creative player at the time.
When the Brazilian moved to Camp Nou, it was a heavy blow to Liverpool's prospects and reputation. However, Klopp did not seem shy.
Van Dijk then joined Anfield from Southampton for £75 million and Alisson became the world's most expensive goalkeeper for £67 million.
Coutinho's story shows that no player is irreplaceable. Liverpool have lost a big name but replaced him with two players who later became legends at Anfield.
Man United are clearly a better team with Fernandes, but last season showed that they are still not good enough to compete for the title. Perhaps the best move for Man United is to sell Fernandes and sign the players that Amorim is in dire need of.
A goalkeeper, a right-back, a central midfielder and an attacking midfielder are all necessary if Man United want to transform themselves from a weak team in the bottom half of the rankings.
